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Anthony Portantino
|birth_place = Long Branch, New Jersey |death_date = |death_place = |restingplace = |nationality = American |party = Democratic |spouse = Ellen Portantino |children = Sofia Bella Rose |residence = La Cañada Flintridge, California |alma_mater = Albright College |occupation = Production Designer |profession = |religion = |signature = |website = Official Assembly Website |footnotes = }} Anthony J. Portantino (born January 29, 1961 in Long Branch, New Jersey), has represented California's 44th assembly district since December 2006. He is a Democrat. Entertainment career Assemblyman Portantino came to California in 1986 to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. He co-wrote and produced the film Time of Tears which was distributed by New World Pictures. He was the Line Producer of the Spanish Christmas movie El Regaldo do Paquito for Telemundo. Assemblyman Portantino also worked as an Art Director for several NBC series which include Unsolved Mysteries, and Story Behind the Story and Final Appeal. He also was the Production Designer for The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams and the Mark of the Bear. Political career Assemblyman Portantino served two terms on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council from 1999 until 2006. He served as Mayor from 2001 until 2002 and from 2005 until 2006. In addition, he was President of the League of California Cities Mayor's and Councilmember's Department, Vice Chair of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Committee and Board Member for the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. In 2008, Assemblymember Portantino was mentioned as one of the eleven possible for Speaker of the Assembly. He was also one of the Democrats who met in order to thwart the ascent of Assemblymember Karen Bass. There were fears that outgoing Speaker Fabian Nunez was going to have Bass ascend to the speakership with Republican votes if there were not enough Democratic votes. Bass ended up being elected by the Democrats and as a result, Portantino was stripped of his chairmanship of the Higher Education Committee.http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/011111.html In 2011, Portantino introduced legislation banning open carry of firearms, even if unloaded. Portantino was the only Assembly Democrat to voted no on the state budget in June of 2011. For his vote Democrat state leaders in the chamber's Rules Committee are punishing him for his no vote on their budget. His office budget was cut and his Sacramento and local staff may be placed on unpaid leave for a month or more.LA times, July 12, 2011|By Michael J. Mishak, Los Angeles Times, Portantino accuses Democrats of reprisal for budget opposition In return, he put in AB 1378 that required legislative employees to be given legal protection from reprisals for reporting government wrongdoing such as waste or abuse.ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SIDELINES PORTANTINO’S WHISTLEBLOWER BILL (AB 1378) govbuddy.com, 19 Jan 2012 Not Running for Office in 2012 On January 18, 2012 Portantino reported that he needs to care for his ailing mother, Barbara Portantino, back East, in New Jersey and will not be running for Office in 2012. He was to run for US Congress, he raised about $300,000 for the run for Congress. But now after the California redistricting, he is in the same district as incumbent Rep. Adam Schiff, D- Pasadena. Incumbent Rep. Judy Chu, D- Monterey Park has already reported that she will run in the district next to Portantino, that includes some of the cities that Portantino represents as an Assemblyman.Portantino Not Running for Office in 2012, South Pasadena Patch, January 18, 2012 Pasadenanow Assemblymember Anthony Portantino Announces He Will Not Run for Office, Published: Wednesday, January 18, 2012] Education Assemblyman Portantino graduated from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania with a BS in Psychology/Business. Personal Assemblyman Portantino is married to Ellen Portantino who also graduated from Albright College. Assemblyman and Mrs. Portantino have two daughters. Sofia, nineteen, attends a University of California school and Isabella, nine, attend public school. References External links *Official Assembly web site *Official Campaign web site Succession boxes Category:1961 births Category:Albright College alumni Category:American art directors Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American production designers Category:American screenwriters Category:American television producers Category:California Democrats Category:Living people Category:Members of the California State Assembly